Sunday - Worship on the Twister Board

One Destination: Hollywood Studios

Scripture for the day: 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, ‘This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way he took the cup also, after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.’ For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

The Report: Today we continued our tradition from our last community trip, and had worship Sunday morning on the Twister Board. And no exaggeration, it was one of the best moments on the trip. Earlier in the week, each youth picked a part of worship for which they were responsible, and this morning we just ran through worship. We even had a youth volunteer to preach the sermon. It was a testament to both our youth and our church youth program, and their familiarity with the liturgy, worship and comfort in leadership roles. 

After worship, we headed to Hollywood Studios for some rides, character meet and greets and shopping, as well as some great food and fun at the 50s prime time cafe. One day left before we head home.

God Sightings: 
- During worship this morning, the housekeeping staff (you can see the cart in the photo below) would pause in their work and pray with us each time we prayed. 

- Worship - and the amazing leadership shown there by the youth.

Pictures:

One of the youth volunteered to preach during worship.

Monday - Wrapping up

Destination: Hollywood Studios/Epcot

Scripture for the day: 2 Corinthians 4:5-11

For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake. For it is the God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness’, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

 But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies. For while we live, we are always being given up to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may be made visible in our mortal flesh.

The Report: today was our wrap up day. The youth voted on which parks they wanted to revisit, and the results were overwhelmingly Epcot, with Hollywood Studios a close second. People revisited their favourites rides, and picked up last-minute souvenirs and gifts to being home. 

We wrapped up early at the park in order to have plenty of time to pack and spend on our final evening devotionals. The youth shared their highs and lows for the trip, and it was wonderful to hear the highlights come up, like our service project at GKTW, the YES program, getting to know each other better, celebrating a birthday, and other fun memories. 

As we prepare to return to Peoria tomorrow, we're deeply grateful for the time we had on this trip to bond as a community, have experiences like our service project at Give Kids the World and the YES program, and to really engage with what Paul has to say about being a community of Christ.

Looking forward to being back with our FELC family soon.

God Sightings: 

- The youth in our group who consistently and quietly held doers wherever we went, both for our group and for others. 

- The closing prayer at devos from our youth prayer warrior on this trip: "Hey God, I just want to say thank you. Thank you soooo much for the past week, and all the experiences we've had."

Pictures:

The Drawing class at Art of Animation in Hollywood Studios

The ferry crew, with our Olaf fans.

Olaf Cupcake. 

Saturday - Animal Kingdom and Character night

Destination: Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom

Scripture for the day: 1 Corinthians 12:4-11

 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone.To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses.

The Report: Late night tonight - extra magic hours at the Magic Kingdom, so I hope to write a little longer report tomor... well, I guess, later today by this point. But in the meantime, everyone looked absolutely amazing in their Disney character costumes, especially Edna Mode (from 'The Incredibles') and Russel (from 'Up')

Today during devos, the youth shared with one another the gifts that they recognized both in themselves, and in each other, and what those gifts brought to the community as a whole. ONe of the gifts that people named as a part of making up this community was an incredibly supportive congregation. The youth progran that FELC has would not be possible without such support. 

Goodnight all - or should I say 'good morning.'

God Sightings:  

- Listening to youth name each other's gifts and what each other bring to the community. 

Pictures:

Closing down the Magic Kingdom

Friday - Typhoon Lagoon

Destination: Typhoon Lagoon

Scripture for the day: 1 Corinthians 1:10-17

10 Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters,^* by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you should be in agreement and that there should be no divisions among you, but that you should be united in the same mind and the same purpose. ¹¹For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there are quarrels among you, my brothers and sisters.^* 12What I mean is that each of you says, ‘I belong to Paul’, or ‘I belong to Apollos’, or ‘I belong to Cephas’, or ‘I belong to Christ.’¹³Has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? ¹⁴I thank God^* that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, ¹⁵so that no one can say that you were baptized in my name. ¹⁶(I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) ¹⁷For Christ did not send me to baptize but to proclaim the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its power.

The Report:

After an intense few days with our service project and YES program, we had a well-deserved lazy day today - specifically lazy river day, as we went to Typhoon Lagoon, and then to Downtown Disney. We also did some worship planning, and had a high energy devo session back at the hotel this evening, studying the passage above.

It was great to hear the youth talk about our opening question - sharing stories of our baptism - and how enthusiastic they got recounting the tales of their entrance into the community of Christ. 

We thank you for your prayers and support - keep them coming as we head to Animal Kingdom, then have our character dress up night at Magic Kingdom tomorrow. 

God Sightings:
- Several of our shopping groups shared stories of cast members (Disney staff) going above and beyond their jobs today for our group. The youth expressed gratitude and appreciation for the way that they were served, and the example it set.

-Today at Typhoon Lagoon, a number of the youth swam with the sharks in the reef experience. One of the youth said that the support of the community allowed them the chance to do something that was really scary. They were all in it together.
- When we were reflecting on the meaning of baptism, two of the answers were that baptism was about rebirth (daily dying and rising again in Christ) and the entrance into the Christian life and community. There were some great connections made between the meaning of baptism, and what we are doing together on this trip.
Pictures:

 The Youth at Typhoon Lagoon.

Swimming with the sharks

Devos in the cafeteria on Friday Night

Thursday - YES! Program

Destination:YES! Program, Epcot

Scripture for the day:1 Corinthians 12:12-13

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.

 Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot were to say, ‘Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body’, that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear were to say, ‘Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body’, that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many members, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you’, nor again the head to the feet, ‘I have no need of you.’ On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and those members of the body that we think less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect; whereas our more respectable members do not need this. But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior member, that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it.

NOTE: Posting a bit earlier than normal today - more photos and God sightings will be added after we finish evening devotionals. - JLH

 God Sightings: *Pending!*

The Report:

After a late night at our service project, we were up early to make it to our YES program at Epcot. The YES (Youth Education Series) program we did was focused on teambuilding, and community focus, and is one of the most anticipated parts of the trip. The youth did an awesome job participating today, and our facilitator was (as usual) excellent. 

After our YES program, when we were at Epcot, we took some time to sit down in the shade and do a bit of processing of our service project last night. It was another chance to take some time out of our busy schedule and focus on God. 

The heat was broken up by thunderstorms this afternoon, which was nice for two reasons - one, the temperature was a lot better afterwards, and two, EPCOT has a lot of great rain activities. We're nearing the middle of our week, and are planning a more leisurely morning after our quick turnaround today.

As always,thank you for your prayers and for following along with our adventures!


Pictures:

Bible study in Epcot.

Wednesday - Service Project Day

Destination: Give Kids the World Village 

Scripture for the day: 1 Corinthians 13:1-8a, 13

If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast,^* but do not have love, I gain nothing.

 Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

 Love never ends...And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.

The Report:

We had an amazing day. Today was the day we went to Give Kids the World ( http://www.gktw.org) to volunteer at the village. Our group was split up into five areas - The Gingerbread House, the Ice Cream Palace and Katie's Kitchen (food service locations) and Amberville and the Castle (community interaction areas). It was an honor for our group to be able to serve and hear the stories from families who are dealing with such serious illnesses. 

It was moving to hear the youth share storeis of interactions they had with the Wish families, because many of the families would visit the different areas in which we were serving, so as one group would share a moving moment, another group would join in, sharing about their interactions with the same family in a different area of the villiage. 

Some of us also had a chance to connect with other volunteers as we worked together. It was amazing the number of people who had travelled to volunteer there. In the Gingerbread house, some of us worked alongside volunteers from Maryland and Oklahoma, and got to share our volunteer stories with them.

Make sure, next time you see them, to ask the youth specifically about their GKTW experience. They have some pretty incredible stories to share.

P.S. - Interesting trivia - Part of the film "Letters to God" was shot at GKTW.

God Sightings:

- One of the youth was talking with one of the returning families who had a child who was originally given a very grim prognosis. The family was returning after many years to see the star that he had placed in the village during his original visit, when he was not expected to live. 

- A group of us helped to serve supper at Give Kids the World. One father approached one of our group bussing tables, and asked if there was any way his child could get a different food, as with her illness she wasn't eating much. Our group member was able to get that particular item, for which the father was greatful. Later on, swinging by the table while bussing, the child was eating, and the look of joy on the father's face was incredible. He expressed such gratefulness to our group member for fulfilling that request - it was a moment of "When you give a cup of water to these little ones..." and an example of how big an impact simple acts can have.

- 

Pictures:

One half of the bussing/dish scraping team in the Gingerbread House

Demonstrating proper scraping technique.

The other half of the scraping team

Tuesday - Magic Kingdom

Destination:Magic Kindgom

Scripture for the day:2 Corinthians 5:16-21

 From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way. So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself,^* not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

 God Sightings: Today is the day we wore our bright orange Carlinville shirts. To say we stood out would be to put it mildly. However, in sharing God sightings, a group of the youth shared how the t-shirts they were wearing had opened up a conversation with someone about our church, and the youth group. Our hoard of matching orange shirts was a powerful witness today, and started conversations that let many of the youth talk with others about their faith and the role that the church plays in their life. 

The youth, in our evening devotions, also spoke about the way that this trip was allowing their connections and relationships to become new. This trip has been an opportunity for the youth to strengthen their relationship with one another through their shared experiences. 

As an aside, one of the places I saw God today was in the excellent leadership our youth showed in leading devotionals. Each night, a different pair of the youth on the trip take a turn to lead our devos, and out of the leadership tonight, some really rich conversations, observations, and prayers came. 

The Report: Today was our first full day in Florida. After a late night, we got an early start, celebrating our arrival with brunch at the Crystal Palace - a chance to wee the Winnie-the-Pooh characters that are favorites of several of our youth (and adults!)

We spent almost 14 hours in the park, and had the chance to go on rides as a community. After dinner, we took over a small corner of the restaurant for our evening bible study and sharing of our God sightings today.

Overall it was a great day - looking forward to our service project tomorrow! 

Pictures:

Brunch at Crystal Palace

Devos after dinner

Reflection time during devos